Toy gun



8. A. SAVITT New. 1949 TOY GUN Filed April 1.3, 1945 Patented Nov. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOY GUN Samuel A. Savitt, Chicago, 111. Application April 13, 1945, Serial No. 588,088.

1 Claim. 1

The present invention relates generally to toy guns. More particularly the invention relates to that type of toy gun which is designed or adapted to be used by a child and comprises a housing together with a barrel having one end thereof connected to, and communicating with, the housing.

One object of the invention is to provide a toy gun of this type which is generally of new and improved construction, embodies a novel arrangement of parts and is characterized by the fact that it comprises in addition to the housing and barrel a rotary device in the housing for producin a loud noise or report similar to that attendant to the firin of a regular gun, and a rotary device in the outer end of the barrel for producing sparks in simulation of the explosive discharge that occurs in connection with discharge or firing of a regular gun.

Another object of the invention is to provide a toy gun of the last mentioned type and character in which the rotary noise orreport producing device in the housing is provided with manually manipulable means for driving it and the rotary spark producing device in the outer end of the barrel is connected for conjoint'drive with the noise producing device to the end that drive of the latter will result in concurrent functioning of both devices.

A further object of the invention is to provide a toy gun of the type and character last mentioned in which the means for driving the noise producing device is in the form of a crank, the handle part of which is exteriorly disposed with respect to the housing and the means whereby the spark producing device is connected for conjointdrlve with the noise producing device is in the form of a chain and sprocket connection which extends through and is partially housed within the barrel.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a toy gun which is essentially simple in design and construction and may be produced at a comparatively low cost.

Other objects of the invention and the various advantages and characteristics of the present toy gun will be apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel features which are hereinafter set forth and are more particularly defined by the claim at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of this specification or disclosure and in which like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a toy tank having applied thereto a gun embodying the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the gun illustrating in detail the construction, design and manner of mounting of the rotary noise producing device in the housing and the spark producing device in the outer end of the barrel;

Figure 3 is an inverted plan view of the gun, certain parts being broken away and certa n other parts being shown in section for purposes of illustration; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged section of the rotary spark producing device.

The gun which is shown in the drawing constitutes the preferred form or embodiment of the invention. It is essentially a toy for amusing a child and is illustrated in connection with, and as forming a part of, a toy tank 5. The tank forms no part of the invention and is illustrated merely to show one article with which the gun may be used. It serves as a portable or mobile support for the gun and comprises a body 6 and a pair of laterally spaced roller supported endless tread elements I at the bottom of the body. As its main or principal components the gun comprises a housing 8, a barrel 9, a crank In, a noise or report producing device II, and a sparkproducing device I2.

The housing 8 is in the form of a turret and is suitably mounted on the upper portion of the tank body 6 so that it is capable of rotating about a vertical axis. It serves as an enclosure for the noise or report producing device II and consists of a dome shaped top wall I3 and a depending cylindrical side wall I4. The side wall is preferably formed integrally with the rim or marginal portion of the top wall I3 and defines with said top wall a compartment IS.

The barrel 9 is formed of tubular metal stock and is proportioned to simulate a regular gun barrel. It extends horizontally and is tapered from one end thereof to the other. The large end of the barrel extends through and fits snugly within a circular aperture I6 in the cylindrical side wall I4 of the turret shaped housing 8. It is open in order that the interior of the barrel is in communication with the compartment I5. The outer or small end of the barrel is open and, as hereafter described, carries the spark producing device I2.

The crank I0 serves as a medium or instrumentality for driving or operating the device II and comprises a shaft I1, a radially extending arm I8 at one end of the shaft I1 and a handle I9 on the outer end of the arm. The shaft ll of the crank is disposed at right angles to the barrel 8 and has the portion thereof directly inwards of the arm I8 journalled in a bearing 20. The latter extends through a cylindricalhole 2| in the side wall I4 of the housing and is suitably secured against axial displacement with respect to the hole defining portion of the housing side wall.

The crank arm 18 and the handle [9 are disposed exteriorly of the housing 8 in order that the handle is accessible when it is desired to turn the crank ineconnectionv with operation of .the .gun. The inner end of the. crank shaft l1, 1. e., the end that is disposed within the compartment H5 in the'gun housing, extends substantially all the way across the compartment and is in horizontal alignment with the barrel 9. It preferably is arranged in intersecting relation with .the vertical axis of the housing and is suitably held against axial displacement with respect tothabearingrZfl. The crank I is arranged so that the crank arm l8 and handle I 9 are positioned at the righthand side of the barrel. As hereafter described the cranklis adapted in connection with operation of 'the gun, to be turned in a:clockwise direction as 'viewed-in'Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing,

The noise-or report producing. device I I is disposed within the compartment and comprises a collar 22 and a leaf spring 23. The collar is fixedly mounted'on the inner end of the crank shaft ITLeandiis adaM-ed toturn or revolve in response to rotation of the crank. It is locatewatthe left handside of the barrel 9,.and embodies a pair of integral outwardly extending lugs 24. The latter are positioned one diametrically opposite the other and are provided with pointed or wedge shaped outer'ends. 'The front'or leading surfaces of the' lugs are curved-or arcuate and the rear or trailing surfaces are fiatand extend substantially radially'with respect tothe collar 22. 'The leaf spring '23 is in longitudinal alignment with the =lugs' 2-"4 and normally extends rearwards andupwards, as shown in Figure 2. The front end of the spring is disposed in a V-shaped notch 25 in the lower end of the cylindrical side wall M of the turret shaped housing 8 and is fixedly secured in'place by means of a screw 26 which extends through a hole in the front end of the spring and projects into the slot defining'portion of'the housing side wall. The rear end of the spring is adapted successively to contact the lugs 24 in response to turning of the collar 22. When the collar is turned "in response to rotation of the crank the lugs 24 successively engage and flex downwards the rear =end-of the leaf spring 23.

'Each time one of the lugs is turned into contact with the spring the spring is flexed downwards as the result of the .cammingeifect of the curved or arcuate leading surfaceof the lug. 'The spring isflexed downward until 'itsrear end reaches the thief the lug. In response to further rotation of the lug thetip of the lug ;,passes the rear en'd of "the spring with'the result that the spring snaps upward past the flat'trailing surface of the lug and strikesagainst the collar "with 'sufiicient force to produce a "comparatively loud noise or report. Each time the crank I0 is rotated two reports are made by the spring. Because the lugs 24 on the collar have fiat substantially radially extending surfaces they function 'as ratchet teeth and so coact with the rear end "of the leaf spring 23 as to prevent reverse or counterclockwise turningof the crank l0.

*Thespark producing device l2'is'located'at-the 'outer orsmall end-0f the barrel '9 and comprises a wheel -2-land a piece 28 of flint. Thewheel 21 is formed of steel and has outwardly extending teeth 29 on its periphery. It 'is located in the outer end of the barrel'and is fixedly secured to the central "portion of a horizontally extending shaft 30, the ends of which extend through, and are journalled in, coaxial holes inthe outer end=of the gun ioarrl. The flint piece "28 is --located heill neath and is in contact with the bottom portion of the wheel 2! and is slidably mounted in a vertically extending tube 3|. The upper end of the tube extends through a..hole 32in the bottom portion ofthe outer endzzofthe gun'barrel and is soldered or welded in place. The flint piece is .urged upwards into contact with the steel wheel 2"! by way of a helical compression spring 33 in the tube 3|. The upper end of the spring is providedwith a follower 34 which abuts against the lower end of the flint piece 28. The lower end of the spring-abuts against an adjusting screw 35 which extends into the lower end of the tube 3|. Said lower end of the tube has an internal or female screw thread which is in engagement with the =male'screw thread on the screw and coacts therewith to shift 'the'screwraxially in response to rotation or turningof the screw. By turning the screw in one direction or the other the tension of the compression spring'23 may :be ad- -justed. 'When the steel wheel 271's rotatedinra counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figures 2 and'3, its teethZQ-scrape againstthe ffiint-spiece 28 and result in sparks being discharged from the outer end of the barrel. 'Thesteelwheelrfl is driven conjointly with the lug equipped collar '22 of the noise or report producing device H by means of a sprocket and chain connectioni36 and a pair of meshing gears 31 and 38. The-sprocket and chain connection 36 comprises a sprocket wheel 35!, a sprocket wheel Ml andan endless chain M. The sprccket'wheel 39 is 'mounted'on, and fixedly secured to, the crank shaft =I'l. It is aligned with the barrel 9-andis disposedbetween the lug equipped-collar 22 and the bearing ZD for the crank shaft. The sprocket wheel '40 is *located in the outer end of the barrel!) directlyinwards of the steel wheel 21 of the spark producing device l2 and is fixedly secured to a'horizontally extending shaft 42, the ends of which 'extend through, and are journalled in, coaxial holes in the outer end of the barrel -.9. The endless chain M is trained around the .two sprocket Wheels 39 and 40 and has the major portiono'fits upper .and lowerreaches extending through .the

barrel .9, as shown in Figures 2 and .3. .Thegear .3! .is located at onesideof the sprocket wheel 40 and is pinned,.keyed, or otherwisefixedly secured to the shaft 42. The;gear.38 is located at one. side of the steel wheel 2:! .and is suitablyfixedly se- .cured to the shaft 30. The .twogears -3'1"and-38 cause the steel wheel 27 to be rotated or turned in a counterclockwise directionwhen the crank shaft I7 is turned clockwise as viewed :in Figures vliand 2.

When the crank 18 is turned "it results in conjoint actuation of the noise 101- :report producing device II and the spark produ'c'ingdevice l2. Qks heretofore pointed out, each complete revolution of the crank results in the leaf spring 23-on the device H making 'two loud reports. Because -'o'f the manner in which 'the lugs '24 coact with'the spring '23 turning -'of the crank is prenouncedly intermittent even though aconstant force is applied -'to the handle l9. Because-of the intermittent turning of the crank the sparkproducing-device l2 operates intermittently and produces sparks in timed relation with the reports that are produced by the device ll.

The herein described toy gun is essentially simple in design and construction and "may be pro- 'duced at a comparatively low cost. Due-to the fact that the gun includes the devices H and: "P2

it serves when 'o'perated to produce reports and be modified within the scope of the appended claim without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

As a new article of manufacture, a toy gun comprising a housing, an open ended barrel having one end thereof connected to, and communicating with the interior of, the housing, a hand crank having the the housing and its crank arm disposed exteriorly of the housing, a report producing device positioned in the housing and consisting of a leaf spring having one end thereof anchored to the housing and in addition a collar mounted fixedly on the crank shaft and embodying radially extending lugs adapted in response to drive of the collar by the crank shaft to be brought successively into contact with the other end of shaft thereof extending into the spring and shaped and arranged so as to coact with said other end of the spring in such manner as to permit the crank to rotate freely in one direction only, a spark producing device carried by the other end of the barrel and embodying a rotary wheel in said other end of the barrel, and a driving connection for connecting the two devices for conjoint operation consisting of a sprocket wheel mounted fixedly on said shaft of the crank, a sprocket wheel disposed in said other end of the barrel and connected to drive the wheel of the sparking device, and an endless chain extending around the two sprocket wheels and disposed for the most part in the barrel.

SAMUEL A. SAVITT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

